It was in the late afternoon when Rex and Evelyn arrived at the Dark Elf Kingdom.
About half an hour ago, the two received the news of the attack.
Evelyn argued that he shouldn't go to the Dark Elf Kingdom in his state, fearing an ambush that might be placed for him there. Though what she said made sense, Rex didn't heed her and rode Delta to assess the situation.
Since the emissary brought a message, it's definitely not a trap, Rex believed.
Upon demounting from Delta, standing in front of the walls of the Dark Elf Kingdom, he reaches out his hand forward in a troubled way. The sky is obscured by a perpetual veil of swirling black ashes, and a pungent acrid smell blown by the wind stung the nostrils.
Rex becomes more certain, this is surely the work of Edward's black fire.
"What do you feel, Evelyn...?"
"It's him, alright. But it feels a little bit foreign, his mana that is. Like something changed"
Due to his injuries, his senses were not as sharp.
Probably the reason that he didn't sense the attack on the Dark Elf Kingdom is because of that, and he would need to borrow Evelyn's senses for now. A hassle, yet he wanted to know. No, he has to know everything about this.
"But I would say, there's no doubt that this is his doing" Evelyn confirmed.
A fire of trouble could be seen behind Rex's eyes, he stood there with his fists clenched.
Finding both of his fists clenched, and his shoulders trembling, Evelyn realized that Rex is affected by this. Despite his claims, his adamant assurance of indifference, the fact that his previous friend has turned out like this troubles him.
In response, Evelyn approached him and held his hand tightly to appease his emotions.
Looking over to the Dark Elf Kingdom that was in a mess, Evelyn sighed and recounted the last encounter she had with the supposed 'Friend', "I saw him last in the UWO's headquarters. He looks like a mess, probably due to the guilt he has toward you. I treated him coldly, as I should. But I think he has made up his mind now..."
"And you should also make your mind up too, Rex" She added, encouraging him to be strong.
Rex didn't answer, he only looks up and heads inside the kingdom.
Once a vibrant kingdom full of trees and lives now lay in ruins, evidence of the ferocious black flames that had consumed everything. Streets were strewn with burned debris and the cries and coughs of the Dark Elves lingers in the air.
The more he went deeper, the more he started to contemplate.
Where did the Executor gain the information?
How did this happen when even the Supernaturals were not aware of the rebellion?
Why did he choose to attack the Dark Elf Kingdom?
Did he turn Edward into his underling forcefully or was it Edward's free will?
All sorts of questions appeared inside his mind as he traverses through the ruined streets.
Dark Elves that survived the ordeal gazes at the contrast of a pair of red, walking on the street with teary eyes. But their minds were unable to find hope and can only weep for the dead ones and also their destroyed home.
It sent a shiver to Rex's spine as he abruptly stopped in his tracks.
'Her eyes, I can feel her unconfidence...'
Maybe it was due to the burned kingdom or the fact that he was not a good fit for dealing with such a matter. But when he locked eyes with one of the Dark Elf, he could feel the ember of unconfidence growing behind her pupils.
Almost as if her eyes were saying something voiceless that stung Rex's heart.
'What am I hoping for? Even he couldn't beat the Executor...'
That is what Rex grasped from a moment of locking eyes with the innocent Dark Elf.
Something that he hasn't experienced first-hand, the doubt that grew on these Dark Elves would definitely sprout a seed in others. It was a huge mental blow, and at that moment he realized what this meant.
Looking around with a saddened look, Evelyn felt Rex has stopped.
Glancing over her shoulder in response, she finds Rex looking down at the kingdom floor.
It sparks some worry inside of her.
Just when her mouth was about to ask whether he was hurt or not, she suddenly feel Rex's grip becoming stronger, clenching down her hand. It was then, she could see the air around his body start to waver and sway.
No energy came out of him, but the aura around him becomes extremely sharp and dense.
Almost as if his body is burning, steaming the air around him.
<Warning!>
<The user's berserk stat is rapidly increasing!>
<The user's sanity is decreasing!>
Carefully, Evelyn went over to him and hold his shoulder to check on him. But once again, before she can mutter a single word, she was surprised to find Rex's expression was tensed and outright brutal.
<Warning!>
<The user's sanity stat has reached 30%!>
Rex started to feel his blood boiling when he realized what the Executor was trying to deliver.
It's that realization that sparks anger inside of him.
First, he thought that the Executor wanted to flex on him and also wanted something from him in return. But in truth, his assumptions were true yet there's more message than what meets the eye.
Sending Edward here to deliver the message is a symbol of him being in control.
Clearly, the only thing that makes Edward a target is because of the history he has with Rex, and the fact that the Executor also has Gistella is another reason for him having two layers of protection that he could use at any time.
Despite the bad blood against each other, their feud was more than killing each other.
An argument for power needs to be made a point is present.
The Executor is clearly telling him right now through this incident that even without the experience of being weak, it won't matter for him. The weak will always flock to the strong, making the strong even stronger. So there's no reason to experience being weak.
Opposed to a benefit, a tinge of weakness can spark a slide downhill instead.
Having a timespan of weakness will only leave a weak impression on others is the message.
In addition, the damage he caused to the Dark Elf Kingdom is nothing more than an imaginary depiction. To make Rex imagine it clearly, the depiction of what is going to be left of his supposed home when the Executor is done with him.
Taking a moment for himself, he eventually inhales a deep breath.
Maybe due to her desire to understand, Evelyn started to grasp what Rex is thinking.
Glancing around the place she couldn't help but realize the heavy obstacles that Rex needs to go through in order to create a place safe from the war, 'I know that it's hard from the start. But I feel my heart becomes heavier, the burden is very heavy...'
Upon thinking that, Evelyn couldn't help but look at Rex once again.
'If I'm already feeling like this, how would he feels when everyone is relying on him...?'
Just now she started to realize that while she tries to prove herself and help, it was nothing more than her selfish desire. She wanted to do that so she could be viewed favorably, and also feel good about herself.
But this makes her take a moment and ask herself an important question.
'Does Rex tries to make a safe haven for his selfish reason? Or is there something more?'
Evelyn remembered that every time Rex hinted at his own death, almost as if he was planning to die, he always made weird cues and indications that he would only do that when she and the others are safe.
Clearly, she feels like the reason for his behavior is nothing selfish in the least.
'Wait, don't tell me- Is he... afraid...?'
Swoosh...
Upon thinking that, Evelyn's eyes widened while she kept her eyes on Rex.
A gush of wind blew from the side, swaying Rex's black hair in a gentle breeze of solitude.
Evelyn experiences a sudden shift of perspective. She was able to see a different tinge of air behind the overbearing air of anger that swirled around him. Compared to the air of wrath, the one behind it is tender and soft, almost bringing about fragility.
Almost all of the time, she couldn't see through Rex.
There's a layer of fog around him, but the gush of wind seems to blow the fog away.
Now, she could finally peer through the thick fog.
Rex has always been the toughest and the backbone of them all in regarding any situation, he handled everything with fierce determination, and unwavering perseverance that doesn't budge regardless of what hits it.
But this reliable aura makes it foreign to associate him with anything related to weakness.
It was so normal for him to be strong that the word fear doesn't rhyme.
Due to that, Evelyn and even Adhara feel like they were detached and don't understand Rex in these few stressful moments. Simply put, they were too close to Rex to realize that he was not unbreakable but rather is also a living being.
'Think about what happened to the Alpha recently and what you did wrong'
Flunra's voice rings inside her head.
'So that's what he meant, his anger towards me was because of my selfish desire that made him afraid. What was I thinking? How can I not see this sooner...?' Evelyn gloomed, she held her forehead and pulled her red hair back with a crooked smile.
Evelyn ridiculed herself for being dense and heartless.
A couple of stubborn tears traced intricate paths down her face. Now she know, she had hurt him.
Just as she was about to embrace Rex, a sign of apologizing for the pain that she had caused him that made him afraid, she suddenly saw Rex raising his gaze once again and his expression turned back to his indifferent look.
It was the normal look he wears, but this makes Evelyn burst out in tears even more.
Despite the pain, he always keeps a strong front for her and the others.
Even though Rex himself knows that one more heartbreaking incident would probably send him to the gutter, his spirit and mind destroyed, he suppresses it all behind that normal indifferent look of his.
Rex was surprised when he finds Evelyn crying, but he didn't have time to ask.
A Dark Elf was approaching them.
Gazing at the Dark Elf which seems to be a middle-aged male walking towards them, Rex pulls Evelyn and stands in front of her. In a situation like this, anything could happen and it'll be best for him to stand at the front.
But as the Dark Elf got closer, Rex frowns, 'What's wrong with his eyes...?'
Unlike the usual eyes, this Dark Elf has a black haze of energy coming from his eyes.
Maybe his senses were impaired due to his gruesome condition, but it didn't stop Rex from recognizing that this black haze of energy is similar to the ones the Executor has. Due to that, he came to a conclusion.
'He's possessed...'
Rex looks at the Dark Elf that had stopped a couple of steps away from him.
With a lifeless gaze that didn't even fix on Rex who is alert about this situation but weirdly his feet instead, the Dark Elf then suddenly opens his mouth, letting out a monotone whispering voice.
"Imagine it, Royal Black Prince..."
Swoosh...
Unconsciously when he heard that, Rex glances over to the ruined Dark Elf Kingdom.
"Your home, your closed ones, your people... Dargena City has been reduced to ash"
Deg!
Like a huge siren, the sentence wails directly inside his heart.
Rex could then hear the ringing sound followed as if that sentence impaired his hearing sense instantly. In the midst of the sound, he could hear his own heartbeat speeding up like a beating drum.
"Earned strength has weaknesses, emotional connection is a weakness. I am true power"
"Now, do you see it? Do you understand?"
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